


38 weeks of us

by gentianblue (orphan_account)



Series: You're mine, I'm yours [3]
Category: Football RPF, Real Person Fiction, Sports RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Babies, Blow Jobs, Childbirth, Crack, Established Relationship, Family, Fluff and Smut, Love, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mpreg, Pregnancy, Sex, Twins, cuteness, happiness, loads of fluff, pregnancy symptoms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-29
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-01 18:47:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4030651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/gentianblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mario is expecting twin babies after accidentally getting knocked up during a heat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So here's the sequel. :D  
> Basically full of fluff, spiced up with some sexy times here and there. Have fun, dear readers, and please leave feedback if you did.

 

 

** 1-11th week **

In retrospect, Mario should have connected the dots earlier. Because it’s not like he wasn’t nauseous on most of the mornings or didn’t want to sleep every single afternoon. But he was _that_ sure about the impossibility of him getting knocked up that he wrote every symptom on the account of intense training and bad eating habits, considering the random things he has poured down his throat in the last month.

Now everything is as clear as a day, but also frightening as fuck. Keeping the babies was an easy decision to make – for him at least -, is there anybody who actually wants to kill their pups? However, he didn’t really think this through. Up until now even he himself didn’t notice that there’s life – _two_ lives growing in his tummy, but this is going to change. Rapidly.

It’ll start with the pheromones, maybe it has already started… No, it has _definitely_ started and the strange looks from Bastian make a lot more sense now. There will be some subtle changes as well, like glowing - Marco says Mario does it anyway - and of course some changes in habits and mood swings. But there will be an obvious, inevitable, tell-tale sign that will leave no doubt for anyone who gets as much as an eyeful of Mario. The bump.

“Can you believe it?” Marco asks with wide eyes as he presses a fruit to Mario’s still flat (well, as much as it usually is) stomach. Mario raises his eyebrows, because if Marco has decided to go crazy only two days after the revelation, then Mario is already off to München.

“The doc said they are around the size of a lime now.”

Aha. And Marco is already contemplating how the heck they can fit in there. This is just the 11th week, for God’s sake.

“Like your brain.” Mario strikes and walks away to rummage around in the kitchen. He really wants the taste of orange, preferably in jaffa cakes. Yum.

“Sunny, don’t be mean.” Marco coos and follows him all the way to the fridge and back to the kitchen table.

“I’m just realistic.”

Marco pulls out the chair for him and brings over a small stool so that Mario can put his injured leg on it. It’s nice and all, but Mario doesn’t feel like he has changed in the least bit since that night four days ago when Marco shoved him against the wall before kissing his brains out. So it’s a little annoying. Especially because now Mario wants to eat without a protective alpha staring at him across the table like he is the eighth wonder of the world.

“Are you going to act like this in the next twenty-seven weeks? Because it’s creepy, you know.”

For Mario’s great surprise, Marco averts his eyes and _blushes_. Which is quite amusing because Mario doesn’t remember a single time he made Marco, or an alpha in general, embarrassed. This pregnancy thing will be fun.

He eats in content silence for a few minutes until Marco stands up with a sigh and goes over to him. Mario obediently tilts his head up for a kiss, but Marco barely gives him a peck before curling his arms around Mario’s neck and burying his face in his hair.

“You smell like happiness.” Marco mumbles into the brown locks and Mario snickers.

“Too bad that you stink from sweat.” He really hopes Marco will visit the showers the next time after practice instead of hurrying back here. “You should take a shower.”

“Hm. Only with you.”

“I’m perfectly okay here.”

Marco pulls away and narrows his eyes. “Sunny. Come and shower with me.”

That’s the voice Mario wanted to hear. He grins and stands up, takes his mate’s hand. “Alright.”

Marco is just slightly more careful when they have sex against the tiles.

 

 

 

** 12th week **

Mario had an appointment with one of Marco’s acquaintances, a physio, to arrange something for his injury since apparently he will stay in Dortmund for a while. The guy was nice and such a smooth talker that Mario slipped and gave him a clue about his state. He was terrified first, doing something that he hadn’t discussed with his mate, but he was quickly reassured that the tabloids won’t have his ultrasound photos the next morning.

He feels tired by the time he eventually arrives to Marco’s flat and is surprised to find the blonde busy with arranging Mario’s favourite pillows on the couch.

“Come here.” Marco says as soon as Mario has stepped into the living room. “Quickly, come.”

Mario hobbles over there with a question mark written on his face and lets his alpha push him down.

“Lie on your back.” Marco says and pulls up Mario’s shirt. He starts sniffing his skin, then moves up to Mario’s neck, obviously displeased.

“What the hell are you doing?” Mario asks after a chuckle when Marco licks his collarbone.

“Checking that the babies are not mutants.”

Oh geez, he has been reading about birth defects again.

“You know, the doctor has gone into raptures about our healthiness, they and mine. I think he’s a bit more reliable judge than your precious alpha senses.”

Marco huffs a little, but then gives up, moves to sit next to Mario’s legs and switches on the television without more examining.  Mario smiles fondly and picks up the nice diary book from the coffee table. He bought it a few days ago, because some webpages said it’s fun to write about the experiences during pregnancy, and now he will start a new section in it, dedicated to Marco’s antics.

“What are you writing in there?” Marco asks after a couple of minutes.

“Currently? That the father of my pups is an idiot.”

Marco pokes the sole of his foot, but Mario just kicks him playfully and pretends he’s writing.

“A handsome, blonde, irritating…” Mario looks up like he’s considering what other features his alpha has and Marco’s expression turns into a smirk. “…way too smug idiot.”

“An idiot that you love.”

Mario sighs and closes his eyes with a grin. “Sadly.”

 

 

 

** 13th week **

“Oh fuck” Mario gasps into Marco’s mouth. He gets a slightly puzzled look in response before Marco’s fingers repeat the trick and Mario moans.

“Well, this is new.” Marco murmurs and flicks his omega’s nipple again. “You didn’t like this before.”

“Please stop talking.” Mario needs him to do what he promised.

“Want me to use my mouth for something else, right?” _Please, please, please._ “Right, Mario?”

“Yes, I… yes, please.”

Marco smiles and nips at his chin. “Okay, love.”

It’s still early enough that they could be watching Game of Thrones, but Marco had other plans for the evening and Mario has never been one to decline something like this. Anything from Marco, basically.

“Don’t hold back.” Marco says, scooting down the bed, and Mario shivers as the exhale blows over his bare skin.

After a dozen wet kisses to Mario’s stomach Marco raises his head for a crooked grin, then sticks out his tongue and draws it along Mario’s erection, still not breaking the eye contact. It’s fucking torturous, the gaze, the touches, the nails scratching the inside of Mario’s thigh… Mario wouldn’t be able to hold back his moans even if he was allowed to.

“Love the way you sound.” Marco breathes and sucks a new bruise next to the other on his hip, marking him. Mario throws his head back to the pillow, reaches down with one hand and squeezes Marco’s, unable to keep his eyes open anymore.

His body radiates heat as Marco licks a stripe again along the underside of his cock and dips his tongue in the slit, lapping the leaking precome. Fuck, Marco’s teasing him, wants to make a begging mess of him with all those obscene noises and moves.

“Please don’t” Mario starts but Marco effectively silences him with wrapping his mouth around the head of his cock.

After what feels like endless teasing Marco takes him in finally with one of his hands around the base of it, squeezing just the right way to drive him insane. Mario’s groans of delight must be embarrassing now, but no way in hell would he keep them in when he’s getting one of the best blowjobs of his life from his mate. He has become so sensitive recently, everywhere, and the nipples… God, Mario can’t keep his hands from rubbing them as Marco’s tongue is flickering along his cock. It massages him, traces every edge and Mario’s hips try to buck up helplessly, in vain, because another hand keeps a tight grip on him to pin Mario to the mattress.

By this point he’s not sure what’s happening down there, only knows that it’s warm and wet and Marco and… so good, Mario is floating in a cloud. His fingers tangle into Marco’s hair, but doesn’t push or tug, never. Mario just needs to feel it’s actually his mate there, that he’s not in a dream where his wishes are about to come true and then vanish, but in the reality where this is all his, a gift from his alpha.

Oh, this is too much and not enough at once, so much pleasure mixed with the pain of need just on the edge of ecstasy.

“Marco, I’m gonna…”

Marco hums, knowing all too well what it does for his mate, and Mario falls apart. The vibrations set off his fire and his orgasm rips out of Mario in waves, but Marco doesn’t let go, lets him come into his mouth. He sucks and licks and swallows every single drop until Mario turns boneless and his muscles go limp after being so close to snapping. There’s the vague touch of a kiss on his lower stomach again before Mario opens his eyes to see Marco’s smiling face hovering above him.

“You killed me.” Mario pants and shuts his eyes again, too tired and too satisfied to move a finger.

“You’re welcome.”

He hears Marco’s smug chuckle for wearing him out so thoroughly, then he’s kissed by salty-sweet lips and gentle hands are combing back his sweaty hair.

Sex during heats is good, but it’s all about the need, the instincts, it’s like fever. And it’s not why Mario has chosen his alpha, why he let Marco mark him with that first bite. He did it because Marco was not only a friend or a handsome, single alpha, but someone who loved, who still loves him. Sex on normal days like this, when there’s no heat and no rut, is another way for Marco to show it. And he does it well, Mario thinks.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smells and football and mood swings, a bit more of the bad side of things

 

 

** 14th week **

Marco was awfully cheerful in the past days and he didn’t want to tell the reason for it, even though Mario threatened to stop talking to him if he kept hiding things. But of course his threats were just as weak as his legs are now on his way out of the bedroom. He didn’t have any nausea problems last week, so Mario thought it was over, but today it’s worse than ever, Jesus.

He stops and closes his eyes, the acid is burning his throat. There’s a smell, a strong, disgusting smell in the apartment, Mario feels it now. Deep breath, deep breath. He won’t throw up, no way. It didn’t happen in the first trimester, it won’t happen in the second, Mario doesn’t let it.

“Hey, good morning.”

Marco walks towards him with the brightest smile ever and _oh no_ , he brings the smell closer, oh shit. Mario gags and makes a run for the bathroom, just barely manages to pull up the lid of the toilet and hunch over it before he gets rid of everything that has been in his stomach.

“Christ, Sunny, are you…”

Marco’s voice fades away, Mario knows he’s still talking and has come closer again, but he can’t tell him to go as far as he can, because there’s no time between the waves of flooding liquid, _ow_ , Mario feels like a goddamn geyser.

“What’s it, baby, how can I help?” _Don’t you see that I can’t talk?_ Marco crouches next to him and puts a hand on his back, ugh that stink is too strong, and Mario can’t protest.

“Your smell” He somehow manages to gain the seemingly inhuman energy to croak that out.

“Oh. That’s a perfume, it’s from Mats, I wanted to…” The voice goes plangent again and Mario has his eyes closed, but the smell lessens a moment later and he hears the sound of the shower. For a couple of minutes he stays still and just listens to the water’s splattering on the tiles and Marco’s babbling, then when he’s sure that there’s nothing left to come out, Mario straightens up.

He wipes his mouth with his shirt and totters over to Marco, where he’s leaning out of the shower stall.

“Better now?” Mario nods, raising his arms yieldingly when Marco nudges them.

“Let’s get these clothes off.” Marco murmurs and helps him out of the dirty garments. There’re drops of vomit all over his shirt and pyjama shorts, so Mario doesn’t mind at all that he’s out of them and now the smell seems to evaporate.

“Can I join you?” He asks, voice still shaky, but Marco’s already pulling him inside.

“You don’t have to ask.” Well, Mario will do it anyway, he’s like that.

“This reminded me of the first time we tried to hook up.” Marco keeps prattling as he massages some soothing body wash on Mario’s shoulders and back.

If Mario didn’t think it would bring back the nausea, he would surely roll his eyes now. “ _‘Tried’_ is a good term for that.”

Marco kisses his forehead. “You were so drunk that you fell asleep even before I could get you naked.”

“‘Cause you took your sweet time driving the porcelain bus.” By now the stench has disappeared entirely and Mario feels a lot better, especially hearing Marco’s laugh.

“True enough.”

Marco washes his hair too so that Mario won’t smell any lingering whiff on him and when they step out of the stall, he immediately starts rubbing his mate with a towel. Mario scowls and yanks it out of his hands, _he’s not a child, he can dry himself on his own._

“Please don’t tell me that this new perfume was the reason for your recent mood.”

“No, shit, no.” Marco makes a horrified expression and manages to get Mario laugh, even if it’s weak and short.

“What’s it then?”

“It’s just… I read that the little bees start sucking on their thumbs now and that will cause them perfect chubby faces, but I didn’t want to tell you because…” Marco jumps up with a yelp, but can’t avoid Mario’s strike to his ass with the wet towel.

He has clearly lied, Mario knows that, but all his comments vanish from his mind when Marco cages his head with his hands and kisses his cheeks until he starts squirming to escape. Eventually Mario decides that happiness is welcome, with or without knowing the exact reason for it.

 

 

** 15th week **

August has come to an end and reluctant or not, Mario has to go back to München to sort out things with Pep. He can’t really hide anything anymore, the baby bump is obvious and he’s gaining more than a pound a week, holy Christ. So he goes as secretly as possible, dressed in the baggiest sweatpants he found and one of Marco’s biggest shirts.

The meeting with Pep doesn’t go as smoothly as they expected. Mario understands that he’s a professional player, world-class even, and he is “wasting his talent”, but how can anyone say that this is a waste? Though yet the little ones barely do anything else than making his life harder, in every meaning of the word, he still doesn’t see why his coach acts like he has flushed his life down the toilet.

They start an argument, but what’s done is done – not that Mario spares a thought on backtracking – so there’s really nothing to do besides discussing the club’s attitude towards his “injury”. It would be an understatement to say that it doesn't go well either. At the end they part with a verbal fight, Pep throwing out insults about omega people left and right and Mario close to tears from disappointment.

He doesn’t feel like calling Marco because he would go mad and maybe try to clash with Guardiola himself. No, he has to call somebody who understands him and won’t start yelling for a fistfight with his coach. So Mario calls Robert.

 

“We _so_ knew it.” Robert swats at him with a wide smile as they sit down and rest in the garden swing bed. “Bastian has been nagging me about it since June. He will jump for joy.”

“He has amazing senses.” Mario compliments and Robert snorts.

“Yeah, especially for humour.” They both look at the ugly cherub fountain a few metres away and Robert sighs.

He turns back to Mario after a moment with his grin back in place and eyes gleaming. “So, how are you?”

“Besides the last months of nausea, the baby bump, Marco’s overprotectiveness and my currently ripping headache? Fine, really.”

Robert laughs and takes a sip of his coffee and Mario’s so envious, he’s not allowed to drink much caffeine for his heart’s sake. It sucks sometimes.

He tries to will that thought away and clears his throat. “Okay, now seriously, we have had a couple of tests and examinations, even ultrasound, and everything is great.”

“I’m glad.” Robert replies with a sweet smile and they fall into silence. Mario has been eyeing the jaffa cakes on the small table next to them for a while, but now he decides it’s time to act and he steals a couple of them with a spectacular blush. He’s pregnant and the babies want them, okay? It has nothing to do with the fact that jaffas were always his favourites.

“You know” He starts after consuming an amount he would be ashamed of if he cared. “I’ve never thought about having babies and didn’t think I would want this, but… then it happened and I can’t be happier now.”

Robert turns to look at him and kicks the ground so that they can swing a little. “Yeah, it’s a blessing, honestly.”

Mario doesn’t understand for a moment, then it clicks. Robert is _sad._ Sad because… Yeah, it must be that. Robert does want children even though he says the opposite, but he’s not able to get pregnant, let alone deliver the pups. This is the first time that Mario realises this must be a problem, a huge problem, considering Bastian’s love for kids. Up until now Mario envied beta life, a life without heats and obedience coded in DNA, but now he just feels pity and realises how lucky he is, having the ability to carry his little ones.

“Basti’s an alpha who wants full control, but he won’t get it from you.” Mario says silently. “How does it work despite this?”

Robert lets out a laugh, only one. “He lives for challenges. If he can win against a force that doesn’t give in immediately, it feels like even bigger of an achievement.”

He looks ahead with the fondest smile Mario has ever seen on his face. “And he always wins.”

 

Surprisingly, Marco isn’t furious to hear the news about Guardiola’s lack of support. Of course he breaks a few glasses when Mario tells him about the ‘slutty omega insults’, but otherwise his reaction is strange, out of character.

Mario doesn’t have an opportunity to figure it out though, because after two more days in München he has barely arrived back to Dortmund, to Marco’s flat, when the doorbell rings. He drops his suitcase in the living room and hurries back to the front door, sees Marco’s stunned face as he takes a cardboard box from the deliveryman’s arms.

They open it together on the couch and Mario’s mouth instantly forms a perfect ‘O’ as he gapes, whilst Marco laughs happily. The box is full of presents. Toys, pregnancy books, a pair of polar blankets, two birth certificate holders and Mario’s favourites, colourful baby sock cupcakes.

There’s a notecard on top of everything with only one word written on it in Robert’s neat handwriting: _Bastian…_

 

 

** 16th week **

 “I have to buy new clothes.” Mario says a little bit sadly with useless trousers in his hands.

Marco takes them away from him and throws them on a chair before ruffling Mario’s hair with a huge grin.

“This is not funny.” Mario pouts, pushing his mate away. “What if it won’t go down after everything?”

“It will.” That’s the only answer, great, Mario has none of it.

“I’ve already started turning into a whale and I just want to eat all the time. I hate my body.”

He has always been plump and now he feels outright _fat_ , and he won’t be able to go back to play with that much plus weight. Then Marco won’t have desire for him anymore and he will leave him and Mario will have nothing. Marco already doesn’t pay attention to him, he walks away towards the nightstand without a word.

“I’m a burden, I don’t do anything else than gaining more and more kilos and you hate me already and…”

Debussy. Marco has put on a CD, a selection of Claude Debussy. That’s for him, Marco plays it for him, Mario knows, because the babies can’t hear yet. And Mario _loves_ piano.

“Come here.” Marco offers his hands and Mario takes them, lets his mate pull him so close that their noses almost touch. “When your alpha tells you something, you believe him, don’t you?”

“Yes, I believe him.” Mario whispers and Marco winds his arms around his neck.

“I’m your alpha, right?” A hand on the back of his head tugs at his hair.

“Yes, you’re my alpha.”

Marco leans in for a kiss, hard and claiming, before pressing their foreheads together.

“I tell you then. That you can be the fattest man of the world, or the worst footballer in Germany, or the person for whom I have to give up my career. But I would love you like that too. I will always love you, no matter what changes with this.” Marco brushes a hand over his belly.

“Do you believe me?”

Mario closes his eyes and feels Marco’s sweet smell, the hands on his neck, hears the music in the background. “Yes, I believe you.”

He buries his face in Marco’s chest and lets a few tears slip as they sway together to the chords of the melodies. He’s not aware of the time, of anything, but at some point he feels like there’s a butterfly flattering its wings in his stomach. Mario’s not sure, but maybe…

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Names, desire and kicks

 

 

** 17th week **

“Martin and Romeo.”

Mario can’t believe his ears, for the umpteenth time this evening. He knew that this will be particularly hard for him, because Marco’s preferences are just… totally inexplicable and he can’t let him have his way, but he’s an omega. How will he be able to say no?

“You seriously expect me to name our pups after your cars?”

Marco shoots him a wounded look. “Those are nice cars.”

“I just… I can’t do this anymore. We will talk about it later, there’s still plenty of time.” Mario says, shaking his head, and turns on his laptop. Yesterday they have found out that the babies are boys and unfortunately Marco is super enthusiastic in finding names. There’s none that stuck in his mind yet, but Mario is afraid that one eventually will and he won’t be able to dissuade his mate from it.

“Raphaël and Maxence?”

What? Just…why?

“I won’t give any of my babies a name that _he_ suggested.”

Of course Marco had to call Auba as soon as the doctor told them the news. And of course Auba had to supply the idiot with awful French names. Well, anything French is awful for Mario as long as it comes from the Gabonian.

“Are you jealous, love?”

“No.” Totally yes.

“You are” Marco singsongs with a grin. “But oh babe, don’t you know? _You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey…_ ”

Mario groans and pushes Marco off the couch. “Your voice is terrible, Marco, you can’t sing. At all.”

Fluttering. Again. By now Mario is sure those are baby movements and even saw it during ultrasound, it was amazing. He feels them on and off all day and for the first time since he realised his pregnancy it’s like something is actually happening in there.

Marco has stopped laughing his ass off and moved back next to him. “You felt it again.”

“Is that so obvious?” Mario asks with a smile and Marco kisses his temple. “I feel it really often. I think they are already fighting.”

“Little alphas.” According to Marco’s irrational assumption the babies must be from the dominant group. No matter that the actual type only shows during puberty. Mario snorts and opens Skype.

 _“Heyo”_ They hear Robert’s cheerful voice and his face appears on the screen. _“Congrats for the boys.”_

“Thanks.” Mario beams. “How are things in München?”

 _“Ugh, killjoy.”_ Robert says and frowns at something out of the camera’s sight. _“Well, I keep scoring and Basti is surprisingly still not injured, but apart from that, we wouldn’t complain if we had a bit more fun during trainings.”_

“That bad?” Marco chimes in, but there’s some turmoil on the other end.

 _“No… what? Absolutely not… Stop it”_ Mario wants to laugh at the exasperated look on Robert’s face as a pair of arms reaches out for him and effectively drags him away from the computer.

 _“Go back to the dishwasher, I don’t think you’ve finished.”_ Robert’s words have apparently no effect, because a moment later his previous spot is occupied by a grinning Bastian.

 _“Hi there.”_ Mario weaves a little. _“First I want to congratulate personally, I haven’t had the chance until now because this one”_ Bastian catches a hand that attempts to give him a smack. _“this one never gives me the computer. And you never come home, Mario.”_

Mario smiles and listens to the conversation between Marco and Bastian, but his mind is somewhere else. Because home, well, where’s that exactly? He thinks about München, his house, his neighbourhood, the people he meets there every day… They are familiar, but not home. And the thought that he will have to go back there doesn’t sound too enticing.

_“…by the way, Reus or Götze?”_

Mario blinks. Huh, that question hasn’t come up. Marco shifts beside him uncomfortably and mumbles something about ‘not sure yet’ and ‘there’s a lot more time to decide’and Bastian politely drops the topic.

 _“I think I should go back to cleaning now if I want sex tonight…”_ This time the hand reaches its aim and Bastian receives a hard smack on the back of his head. Marco barks out a laugh and leaves too after giving Mario a peck, saying his manager has just called. Therefore Mario ends up alone with a furiously blushed Robert.

_“So how’s the name finding?”_

 “Don’t even ask.” Mario rolls his eyes.

_“Well, Marco can’t be worse than Bastian. He has just expressed his desire to name our firstborn, if there will ever be one, after Lukas.”_

“Oh geez.” Mario shudders and they both fall into easy laughter.

 

 

** 18-19th week **

Mario wants sex. Not as much as during heats, but it’s a close thing and he really, really wants it. They didn’t have for quite a while, because Marco was afraid, but today Mario’s willing to do anything for it.

“Sunny, I have a surprise!” He hears Marco’s voice and the slumming of the front door. To be honest, Mario isn’t interested in the surprise now unless it involves Marco pinning him to the mattress. He sighs and waits until half a minute later Marco steps into the bedroom and starts changing into casual clothes.

“You know, we will have this match and training free weekend three weeks from now, and I have been thinking”

“That really is a surprise.”

“Mario!”

“Okay, okay, sorry.”

Marco walks to where Mario’s sitting on the edge of the bed. _With nothing on top._ His hipbones peak out of the grey sweatpants he wears at home and only his dog tags cover the pale skin of his chest. And Mario’s mouth is watering.

“So I’ve been thinking about taking you away for a short holiday. To a wellness resort.”

“Uh huh” Mario puts his hands on Marco’s hips and tugs him closer, his eyes fixed on the perfect abs that tense under his gaze.

“What are you doing?”

 _Anything you want me to do._ But Mario doesn’t answer, just starts mouthing on the soft skin above the band of the worn-out pants. Marco’s breath hitches and soon enough there’s the weight of a hand on Mario’s head, pushing him lower.  He obeys and nuzzles Marco’s crotch before moving to pull the clothes down, but suddenly he’s hauled up to his feet by strong hands. Marco slides his hands under his shirt and leans closer with closed eyes and a slight smile.

“I know this smell.” He purrs. “It’s not as strong as usual, but” He grabs Mario’s ass and Mario moans. “Oh yeah, I’m right.”

They kiss until Mario tears himself away and practically whines against Marco’s mouth. “Please, please do something about it.” He doesn’t care that he sounds needy, he just wants his mate.

“Shh” Marco puts a finger on his lips. “We will take our time.”

 

Mario knows that Marco does this to him only because he doesn’t want any problems with the bump, but it doesn’t make it any better. Mario hates doing the work, hates being on top. Hates riding.

“Take it if you want it.” Marco drawls and runs his hands up and down Mario’s thighs.

That earns him a glare as Mario lowers himself onto his cock, slowly because he’s not used to this angle. His whole body shudders when he has worked Marco in and he stills for a moment, not really sure about starting without a sign from his mate.

“Don’t be shy, babe.” Marco looks at him with fire in his eyes. “You look gorgeous.”

Mario takes a deep breath, cursing the situation, and moves. First he just grinds his hips in tight circles until he’s ready, then lifts himself up and sinks back down with a moan. He goes again and again, increasing his pace until he’s bouncing on Marco and his thighs are trembling.

“You’re so good. So good, Mario.”

Every now and then Marco thrusts up too, unable to hold himself back, and all of those movements have Mario groaning, his ability to focus narrows down to Marco’s cock, bare and thick and  _perfect_  in him.  He is so close that all it would take is Marco’s knot and he’d be coming. But in the next, unfortunate second he loses his balance and the way he has to steady himself is so awkward that it immediately knocks him out of the whirlwind he has been in.

Marco snickers and turns them over carefully. Mario closes his eyes with a smile, _yes, finally he’s on his back_ , but Marco pulls out.

“What are”

“I can’t hold back myself from knotting you if we keep this up.” Marco cuts him off with a murmur and curls his hand around Mario’s cock.

“But I want it.” Mario tries, but Marco kisses the protests away and slides in two fingers to tease Mario’s sweet spot too.

“I hate you.” Mario mutters. “You rile me up so much, then deny me your knot, I fucking hate you.”

Marco laughs, absolutely unrepentant. “No, Sunny, you love me.”

 

“Am I a sex god now?” Marco is so damn proud of himself after getting Mario off, after wielding his power in the bedroom, the bastard.

“You wish.”

It’s not late in the afternoon, but Mario feels so tired now, he’s gonna have a nap. His eyelids are heavy, it’s a good thing that Marco doesn’t ask for his own release. Seems like cuddling is enough for him at the moment.

“Your heartbeat is faster.”

“Surprising after sex.”

“No, I mean it’s faster in general.” Mario just hums, halfway off to dreamland. “And your body is warmer, so cuddly.”

Marco’s arm is loose around his abdomen, so Mario pulls him closer and falls asleep to the feather light kisses pressed to his neck.

 

 

** 20th week **

Marco is in the bedroom and Mario’s standing by the kitchen counter when he decides to read the newspaper, which turns out to be a bad choice. There’s a short article about his mysterious injury and Mario’s mood drops immediately. It says that the club is too quiet about his recovery and the last time anyone saw a paparazzi photo of him was around the middle of August. That’s not a surprise, considering that Mario either spends his whole day home or in hidden parks, perfectly disguised. But the article is still worrying with all the guessing and accusing. They have to say something about it soon or the club, or God forbid, Pep will. Mario still doesn’t know what to do or how to do it, so he quickly shakes away the thought and turns the page. He reads the first two sentences and it doesn’t take more than a minute before his loud crying fills the otherwise silent apartment.

“Sunny, what’s the matter?” Marco rushes to him in worry.

“Nothing.” Mario sobs. It’s nothing, really. “Just the firefighters.”

After a moment of confused blinking, Marco holds out a hand for him and it clearly surprises him when Mario doesn’t take it. He gives him the newspaper instead.

“I’ve read that article at the bottom.”

Marco frowns and looks into it, starts reading aloud.

_‘Firefighters placed a tiny oxygen mask on a kitten named Stubby after he got caught in a blazing house fire on Friday. The feline, who was suffering from smoke inhalation, was revived and taken to vets for further evaluation.’_

Firemen are the most heroic people Mario knows, they risk their lives for others, what a bravery. Mario will never be able to be that brave. He’s not even brave enough to come out and say that he’s full-on pregnant with Marco Reus’ babies. A new stream of tears floods out and he shakes as Marco wraps his arms around him from behind. Mario knows he’s overreacting, but somehow he can’t help himself.

“This is so touching.”

“It’s okay, babe. See?” Marco points at the picture next to the article. “The kitty is okay.”

Mario nods, but the crying doesn’t stop and Marco holds him tighter, puts his hands on the bump. And that’s when they feel it.

“Oh” Marco gasps and pulls away. “Oh my God, what happened?”

Mario has now stopped weeping and stares at his tummy instead. “They are moving.”

“Oh my” Marco breathes and raises a hand again. “Can I… can I just”

He never asks for permission, never. But now he does it, Marco’s afraid to touch, and Mario thinks there wasn’t a moment when he loved Marco more. He takes the raised hand and presses it to his stomach. There’s another kick and Marco flinches, but Mario keeps his hand in place.

“They are really in there.”The look in his eyes is soft and vulnerable, nothing that Mario has seen before, and he can’t do anything else than pulling Marco closer and burying his face in his neck.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You Are My Sunshine is a song from (originally) Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Football, media and furniture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took more time than I thought and I had to hurry at the end, because I wanted to post it before going away for a while. Sorry if it reflects in my writing.
> 
> I also had to plan something for their football career, so this part might be a bit less enjoyable, but it explains a few things about the omegas' situation in this universe. I hope you will still have fun!
> 
> I'll be back in 8-10 days with an update and then I'll take a look at not-hints too :)

 

 

** 21th week **

The wellness resort is luxurious and Marco made sure about their privacy even though the people there are either too rich or too famous to care about them. It’s freshening to be out of the apartment, out of Dortmund, and Mario doesn’t do anything else than relaxing and enjoying Marco’s undivided attention.

It’s getting dark now and he can see the earliest stars on the sky as he takes a short pause in swimming and leans against the pool’s tanning ledge. He doesn’t want to go back inside yet, the ambience is nice, the water is warm enough and there’s no one around. Letting his eyes close, he sighs into the lukewarm air and thinks about how things have been _before._ How they’ve managed the long-distance. They should have done this kind of short getaway back then too, not just hurried, late night hook-ups and frustrated phone calls.

The water plashes and the noise breaks his line of thought, somebody has jumped in. Mario opens his eyes to see Marco emerging from under the surface with wet hair covering his forehead and eyes squeezed shut. His swimming technique leaves a lot to be desired, but it works somehow and a few seconds later he has crossed the pool and presses chlorine tasting kisses to Mario’s lips. Mario snickers and puts a hand on his chest to keep him away.

“Hey, what’s it?”

Marco’s smile is a little off as he takes Mario’s hands and kisses his knuckles. He has been surprisingly quiet and clingy all day and Mario has no idea why, but he guesses from the sudden burst of affection that this is the time of the revelation, so he waits until Marco gathers his courage.

“Sunny, do you love me?” He asks eventually with a strange gleam in his eyes.

“I think I’ve made it clear many times.” Mario chuckles. “Yes, I love you.”

Marco takes a deep breath and twines their fingers together. He looks at Mario, then casts down his eyes, then looks up at him again.

“Enough to come back?”

Mario blinks. At first he doesn’t even understand, because apparently he has never left, he’s right by Marco’s side. And of course he will go back to Marco’s apartment with him. “Back to Dortmund?”

“To the club.” Marco’s eyes are glued to his face now. “BVB will make a bid for you during the mid-season transfer window.”

That completely takes Mario aback and he can’t do anything else than gaping and trying to figure out when he should laugh at the joke.

“They might have the money if Bayern let you go for a bit less than your current price.” Marco goes on, placing Mario’s arms around his neck and sliding closer. “But… for that we need to tell the media about the babies, because then the price will go lower.”

Mario knows that as soon as the truth gets revealed his value at the transfermarkt will be less, and by that he means at least half of the current one. Who the hell would want to have a publicly omega player who’s _pregnant_ on top of it all? The fear that omegas go into heat random times and ruin matches with it is there, as is the suspicion that they bond with somebody from the other team and that affects their work. Until now Mario wasn’t out as an omega _publicly_ , though of course many people knew. And players bonded with each other worth a lot less, so most of them keep their relationship secret. But Dortmund wants to… wants to buy him back?

“Why would they want me back? Do they know about us and the pups?” Mario asks and Marco hesitates for a moment.

“Yeah. I’ve told them, because I… I can’t let you go away after what happened. After having you this close again.” He says eventually. “But if you don’t want to come back, then tell me and I will go. To bloody Bayern München.”

So that’s why they want to do it, he has threatened them. Because Bayern would gladly pay the price for Marco, a transfer only needs his signature. “Is this a joke?”

Marco shakes his head with such determination on his face that would make every opponent crawl for the locker room. He would surely do anything to keep Mario with himself. “The negotiations have already started, but it looks like they won’t give you away unless we involve publicity.”

Mario stares. “How long has this been going on?”

“Two months.”

Two months. So when he went back to talk with Pep about his future, the coach has already had transfer plans in his mind. This is too much, too much for Mario to decide in an instant. It would be so much easier if Marco just told him to do this or do that, there would be a bigger chance for him to choose the right thing.

“I don’t know, Marco.” He whimpers apologetically and pulls his mate closer, close enough to kiss. “I have to think about it.”

There’s a long, long silence in which Mario almost asks him to decide, almost forms his wish in words. But then Marco lets out a breath and nods.

“Okay.” And he captures Mario’s lips in a soft kiss.

 

 

** 22-23th week **

Mario wakes up from his own snoring. Or it might have been Marco’s, he’s not sure now because he’s definitely awake with a congested nose and Marco is fast asleep, snoring his usual litany next to him. Under him, more like.

Oh, and the babies are awake too, drumming on his bladder in synchrony with Marco’s rather loud snores. God, Mario really has to pee. He can’t imagine how they could fall asleep like this, because first, he’s on his back (which hurts like crazy), second, Marco’s entire left arm is trapped under him, and third, he is above eighty kilos. Through some struggle he gets himself into sitting position and pokes Marco’s side so that he wakes up and stops spreading his long limbs over the whole bed.

As expected, Marco grunts and opens his eyes. Just to squeeze them shut again immediately, clutching his arm with a painful expression.

“Oh shit, my arm, Sunny…” He whines and Mario holds back a snicker. He must have one hell of pins and needles. “It didn’t just fall asleep, fuck, it has _died._ All my beautiful tattoos have died.”

“You’re such a child.”

“Ow, Mario.” Marco keeps groaning and whimpering into the pillows so long that Mario actually starts feeling bad about it.

“I’m sorry.” He looks at his hands, folded on the bump, then climbs out of the bed to make his way to the bathroom. “I’ll make breakfast if you get up.”

 

He has spent the last week with mulling over what to do, come out or not, but two days ago he has come to a final decision and today they will follow through with it. Marco suggested doing a video and posting it to their social media sites, that’s easy and personal at once. So of course they are going to do that. Mario is on his second toast when Marco finally pads into the kitchen with a sleepy smile and dishevelled hair, what a sight to behold. But before Mario can greet him or comment on his looks, Marco swings his body forth and steals a toast from Mario’s plate.

“Oh, so that arm is still alive?”

Marco just smiles back cheekily, munching on the food. “We have an important task today.”

Mario sighs, his appetite gone in an instant. “I wish this didn’t have to be a big deal.”

Since Yvonne, Marco’s sister, has wanted to come over anyway, they asked her to record the video. Marco holds Mario’s hand during the entire time and he does most of the talking too. The only thing Mario has to do is sitting next to him with his baby bump as evidence and nodding a yes every now and then. After revealing their bond Marco tries to put the emphasis on the fact that they managed to keep their relationship secret and apart from the professional life from the very beginning. He finishes the speech with setting themselves as an example to follow.

“There are players bonded with one another all around the world, but they can’t live a honest, open life because of bad attitude. We do hope that our decision to make our relationship public will start the change.”

Despite the utter seriousness of the video, Marco is Marco, so he says goodbye with his dorky crooked smile and a messy kiss to Mario’s cheek. It doesn’t take more than fifteen minutes for the first calls and messages to arrive, most of them supporting, and Mario’s heart swells. They should have done this ages ago.

 

 

** 24-25th week **

They knew that not every reaction will be nice and understanding, but reading speculations about Mario’s awful last year is annoying and the mere idea of connecting Marco’s absence during the World Cup to Mario’s good performance there is ridiculous. Their ‘coming out’ stirred a lot of things, some of them are the starters of something better, but some just show how many people still believe that omegas are not good for sport.

They are watching the Sunday matches, more precisely the Bayern – Hoffenheim game, Mario sitting in one end of the couch with a fluffy blanket around his body and Marco slightly leaning into his side, when the commentator makes a joke about the teams, saying they look like a bunch of helpless omegas without an alpha to tell them what to do. Marco immediately clenches his hand into a fist and growls, so Mario pats his shoulder.

“It’s okay, I’m used to it.”

Marco doesn’t answer. He was expected to be irritable after that media hassle, but not like this, not when all what Mario wants is a peaceful cuddle in front of the TV. For a few more minutes everything is okay again, but then the commentator makes another joke and Marco snaps, grabs the remote control and vehemently switches off the television. They spend a minute in tense silence before Mario decides that he won’t let Marco’s crappy mood ruin his evening and switches the device back on.

There’s some muffled cursing and the next thing Mario knows is that his side feels cold and Marco has stomped away, because _‘he won’t listen to asshole alpha commentators’_. Mario knows this kind of tantrum and the best way to deal with it is pretending that nothing has happened. And what a surprise, not more than ten minutes later Marco’s back, pouting and staring daggers at the screen, this time from the other end of the couch. It isn’t even him who should feel insulted.

Mario isn’t really bothered by the commentator’s approach, because he has grown up in this, he was told where his place was right after his first heat. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Mario got over it soon thanks to the genes that prevent him from getting as frustrated as Marco is right now. He needs distraction, Mario decides.

They don’t hear the next joke from the low moan that escapes Marco’s mouth as Mario shoves a hand into his sweatpants.

 

 

** 26-27th week **

Now that they have come clean in the media, Mario can go out relatively freely, so they decided to buy the baby cribs and other stuff to make a nice nursery from Marco’s spare room.

Shopping with Marco is living hell, he’s either pointing out hideous furniture or pulling on Mario’s sleeve to go home. The only thing that catches his eyes is a ridiculously flashy crib with ugly baldachin, a piece that Mario questions even for its existing, and it takes half an hour to drag him away from there with the promise of an abundant meal. When they finally arrive home Mario takes a nap, wakes up from it an hour later to Marco’s drooling on his neck, and it needs twenty more minutes until both of them are awake enough to start putting the new furniture into the nursery.

“I don’t think you want to put it that far from the crib.” Mario says when Marco tries to place the changing table in the far corner of the room for some unknown reason.

“Why not?”

He looks honestly confused and Mario gives him an incredulous look. “After a little ‘wet accident’ you won’t want to carry them across the whole room.”

“Oh.” His face contorts into a grimace and though Mario laughs about it now, inside he’s a bit afraid what is going to happen when Marco actually has to deal with those ‘accidents’.

They are done only with half of the packing, but Mario already likes the room. It has beautiful light blue walls, painted last week, and most of the furniture is white. There are big windows with pretty lace curtains, so the weak rays of the November sunshine can get through them and lights up the place. The atmosphere reminds Mario of a clear midsummer day’s sky and he loves this feeling so much that he considers ditching Marco’s snores for sleeping here from now on.

“Mario.” Marco calls out for him quietly and Mario turns to see him sitting into the Sway rocking chair. “Come here.”

“But there are other…”

“Just come, babe.”

There are a lot of other things to drag into the room and find a place for and they wanted to finish it today, but… Marco pats the cushion next to him and Mario is too tired to even think about opposing. He walks over there and plops down next to his mate, settles curled up against his side with his head resting on Marco’s chest.

“Thank you.” Marco whispers into his hair whilst Mario plays with his long fingers.

“For what?”

“For coming out, for the babies…” Mario closes his eyes and hums, the gentle fingertips running along his spine are better than a lullaby.  “For everything.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, many many thanks for all the hits, kudos and the lovely comments, they are such a great boost!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mario has a bad day, Marco has to prove why he's an alpha and Christmas brings surprises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me forever to finish this chapter, but it's quite long in return. :) There's one more left and for the sake of the story, let's pretend that omegas can give birth similarly to women.
> 
> So many thanks for the feedback, it feels great to see you have fun reading the story. I hope you will have this time as well. :) ♡

 

 

** 28th week **

Mario can’t decide whether he feels more like crying or laughing at his own pathetic efforts to climb the goddamn stairs. This is the second time he has to stop, just because of a couple of books and a pullover. That fucking wreck of an elevator. And stupid Marco.

“Of course he has to live in an apartment instead of a house, of course he has to.” He mutters before taking the remaining steps to the third floor.

It’s Mario’s fault though, he shouldn’t have gone shopping on his own and definitely not on the day when the elevator is under renovation. A relieved sigh escapes his lips when he finally makes it inside the flat and drops the nylon bags that dug into his palms. He practically collapses on the couch and lets himself sink into the bunch of pillows he collected on ‘his side’, as Marco likes to call it. They end up way too comfy for him to keep his eyes open and he dozes off, waking up a couple of hours later when a hand falls onto his thigh. He nearly jumps out of his skin and sits up straight with wide eyes only to see it’s Marco, fast asleep by his side. He looks so tired after practice that Mario doesn’t have the heart to wake him up from his slumber with more moving, instead just pulls his phone out of his pocket to read. It takes merely an hour for him to conclude it was a bad decision. People told him not to read about male childbirth on internet, just rely on books and trust his doctor’s advices, but he was curious. And they were right of course, Mario should have obeyed and now he wouldn’t have nasty images in his mind. He read _horrible_ things. He was already a little bit afraid of delivery, but after knowing exactly what might happen and seeing through the euphemisms he was told… He’s scared out of his wits. Ignorance really is bliss, he realises bitterly.

Marco’s snores stop and he starts stirring next to Mario, wakes up fast enough to steal a glimpse of the screen despite Mario’s attempt to hide the phone in time.

“We’re getting closer to due date, huh?” He says once Mario has put the device back into his pocket.

“There’re ten more weeks though.”

Marco hums, a low and delighted sound that usually makes Mario hard in a second, but not now. Not with all those things awaiting him. Pain is one thing, he can deal with it, but he would rather lose his dignity alone and not in front of a bunch of people, including his mate.

“I’m so excited.”

Mario feels the grin pressed into his neck before Marco embraces him and starts babbling about how close the date is and how he can’t wait to hold the pups, _his_ pups, and so on, and Mario starts feeling sick.

“Hey, Sunny. What’s the matter?” Marco asks suddenly, all trace of happiness gone from his voice and replaced by concern.

“I’m just” Mario shrugs with eyes fixed on Marco’s hand in his. “afraid.”

“Oh. The labour?”

Mario nods and Marco strokes his cheek “There’s no need to be afraid, I’ll be there with you.”

“You’ll be grossed out.”

“From what?”

“From the blood and all that stuff.” He really doesn’t want to go into details.

“I’ve seen a lot of blood in my life.”

“But this will be different. And I’m afraid you will never” Mario trails off with a sigh.

This conversation shouldn’t have started at all. Even talking about the things he fears is embarrassing, he can imagine how he will feel when they are actually happening.Having about five different people looking between your legs while you’re trying to push a melon, _two_ melons, through a keyhole pretty much sounds like a complete and total nightmare. What if something tears? Jesus…

“I’ll never what?”

 “Look at me again like… you know.”

His cheeks are on fire now and if the small smile is anything to go by, Marco’s amused. He really doesn’t understand? Childbirth is disgusting – well, Mario sees it like that right now. There’re all kinds of bodily fluids and screams and pain and a mess on the table with a baby halfway out of it, and this time Mario will be that mess, on display for Marco to watch as he falls apart. And he’s a male omega, males are not common to give birth even if they are omegas. That’s what social perception does to them, they would rather suppress their given instincts to prevent judgement.

Marco nudges his shoulder to get his attention. “Explain it, I don’t know.”

“I will never be desirable again and… you will never love me after that, because you will always remember how disgusting I am and what I have done. I mean, just look at me, this is not acceptable. I’ve heard people whispering in the grocery store and I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I can’t get this out of my mind. I feel _guilty_ for having these genes, for not fighting against them. I’m just a useless omega.”

Mario wipes off the wetness from his cheeks after his outburst and tries to move away from the warm body pressed to his side, but Marco keeps him in place and takes hold of his chin to turn his head.

“Oh babe, you amaze me.” He says with a smile and a shake of his head. “So much bullshit from such a pretty mouth.”

“But”

“Shh.” Marco’s lips steal the words from Mario’s mouth as he gets a tender kiss, something that always manages to soothe his nerves.

“You will be okay. The babies will be okay. Everything is going to go well. I’ll be there for you, no matter what. Understand?” Mario nods with closed eyes, face buried in Marco’s chest.

“Don’t be as stupid as I can be, Mario.”

“I’m sorry.” He mumbles.

“Don’t be. Sometimes you just need reassurance.” Marco strokes his hair. “And I’m right here to give you that. Anything.”

 

 

** 29-30th week **

Marco pulls Mario’s feet onto his lap and switches to the sports channel to watch skiing or whatever winter sport is on TV, Mario doesn’t care right now. They are not exactly on good terms since last night when Marco came home drunk and ridiculously late from the party that Mats has thrown for the team. Mario doesn’t have the willpower to move away from his mate, but he’s still not over their fight from yesterday so he won’t react to Marco’s tries to reconcile, even though he enjoys watching skiing. Marco hates snowy mountains and anything connected to them, so he obviously wants to do a subtle favour so that Mario stops giving him the cold shoulder.

After Mario purposefully doesn’t turn away from his diary and doesn’t show any signs that he noticed, Marco tweaks his little toe. Mario glances up in a way he considers angry and immediately regrets it when Marco’s eyes light up and he repeats the process.

“Is this your way of being repentant?” Mario asks with raised eyebrows and immediately curses afterwards, he didn’t want to speak with his mate at least till lunch.

Marco must know this as well, judged by his wide grin as he slides his fingers between Mario’s toes. _God,_ Mario hates when someone touches his toes, he really fucking hates it.

 “Marco” He tries to shoot the alpha his hardest look with a warning voice, but has he ever succeeded in this?

“You’re so cute when you’re irritated.” Marco’s still grinning ear to ear, knows all too well that Mario’s not really angry anymore.  “Yeah, just like that. Your face is all red and the way you raise your eyebrows…”

Mario glares for one more moment before turning back to his diary. He scribbles down a few words and doesn’t look up as he mutters “Are you aware of the long and torturous death ahead of you?”

There’s no answer, just a loud ‘click’ sound that’s too familiar from the locker rooms and bus rides after matches.

“Did you take a photo of me?”He looks up mouth agape to see Marco shaking with silent laughter, phone in hand.

“You shit.” Mario struggles to keep his smile at bay. Bad mood is not called like that for nothing. “I’m gonna delete all your selfies if you keep doing this.”

“Someone is grumpy.” Marco smirks and Mario takes his feet off him.

“And someone else is sleeping on the couch for the second night in a row.” He says and turns to the TV, pretends he’s watching it.

There’s a short silence before Marco scoots closer and exclaims “Sunny, I’ve deleted them!”  

 _Them?_  Mario gives him an incredulous look which Marco misinterprets.

“Okay, okay. I admit, I kept one or two from every week ‘cause you’re so adorable.”

“How many photos did you actually take?”

“A few in the last months” Marco answers, biting into his lower lip and that’s the end of it, Mario bursts into laughter.

It takes a while until he composes himself and Marco uses it to hurry into the kitchen and come back with a large bowl.

“I have jaffa cakes?” He offers the bowl hesitantly and if there have been any remains of anger left in Mario, they all vanish at the sight of the bowl’s contents. There are priorities, okay?

 

** 31th week **

Since Mario’s parents will be on a holiday during Christmas, they have a family gathering a week before the event. Mario has some difficulties with cooking by now, with moving in general, but thanks to some miracle everything is ready when the guests arrive. He knew his mother would be excited and overprotective, but he didn’t expect her to be _this_ much. She apparently appointed herself as Mario’s shadow for the day, following and touching him all the fucking time as if the moment she let go he would suddenly disappear with that barrel of a belly.

Another annoying thing is that everybody wants to touch his stomach, ‘wants to feel the kicks’ and all of them give him hurt looks when he claims that the babies get enough attention from Marco so they can fuck off. He might have said that less rudely, but everyone with three brain cells would have got it. Except his mother, that’s it.

Lunch is slightly better, though that’s question time of course and no, he really didn’t need that great advice from Fabian to avoid knots in the upcoming months. Mario didn’t remember that his family was always like this. Maybe he became a bit oversensitive?

When they decide to move the conversation to the living room, his mother proceeds to sit between Marco and Mario which is – by far – the most annoying thing she has done this afternoon. She rambles endlessly about her own pregnancies, though it's not like Mario hasn’t heard these stories a thousand times before, until Marco gets fed up and moves to sit on the armrest next to his mate. Mario immediately laces their fingers together and almost relaxes enough to forget that his mother is still talking when she changes the topic all of a sudden.

 “So I’ve planned everything about the labour.” She pulls out a colourful paper from her bag and shows it to Mario.

“This is your birth plan, honey, I’ve thought about everything. You will get pain meds only on request and since I think Marco is not capable of cutting the cords, the doctors will do that. In the room I’ll be the one holding your hand and provide emotional support, that will be the best for you, trust me. Marco will use the camera, I hope he can at least manage that, maybe Fabian can help too, and of course the doula…”

Mario turns to Marco in panic. This is not funny at all, his mother has gone crazy. And what’s with this ‘Marco’s not capable’ thing? Who is she to decide?

Marco squeezes his hand and cuts off his mother’s rambling in a polite, yet firm voice.

“Mrs. Götze, we already have a birth plan and I don’t think Mario wants so many people in the room.”

“But darling, he needs our support. And I have many experiences, they will come in handy.”

“I’m sorry to object, but Mario has clearly expressed he only wants me in there.” Mario is so grateful that Marco willingly accepts being the bad guy, he wouldn’t be able to stand his ground for long alone.

“I’m a mother so I know better than you what an omega in labour needs and…”

The argument goes on for a while, his beta mother appears to be surprisingly committed to her own plans, but eventually she gives in. An hour later they take their leaves, for Mario’s relief, his father after a clap on Mario’s back, Fabian with a bunch of cookies, Felix with a shy smile and his mother with the promise that ‘they will have another talk about this later’. Marco tells Mario he will lock her in a wardrobe if she attempts to get in the delivery room.

 

** 32th week **

They spend the day before Christmas Eve with Marco’s family and it’s fairly better than the other family meeting for everyone involved. They don’t pester him with stupid advices or requests and since Yvonne has Nico, she provides a few useful tips on top of all. Mario feels so comfortable that they end up sleeping there, by Marco’s parents’. Well, not sleeping _yet_ , because Mario can’t fall asleep and instead of silent tossing-turning he decides to spend the time arguing with his never contributing mate. By now they have agreed on one name, but they have to find one for the other baby, and Mario doesn’t think Marco takes this seriously.

“Names are important, Marco! Would you love me if I was called…” He tries to think about the most obnoxious person he knows. “…Kevin?”

Marco groans into his pillow, then turns his face just enough to mutter a reply. “I would want to marry you even if your name was Pep, so let’s sleep now, babe.”

Mario’s heart skips a beat and his breath catches in his throat. Did he hear that right?

“What did you just say?”

Marco turns onto his back and tugs at Mario’s sleeve to get him lie down, but he’s barely awake, his eyes are half-closed. “Come on Sunny, I’m tired.”

“You said you would want to marry me.”

Marco freezes and for a moment his grip on Mario’s shirt tightens before he whimpers and pulls the duvet over his head. Mario frowns and pokes the lump under the crispy white fabric.

“Why did you say that?”

“I didn’t.” Marco’s voice comes out muffled and lacking the previous sleepiness, makes Mario laugh.

“You did. Why, Marco?”

He tugs the duvet a little lower, but Marco doesn’t let him take it off all the way, so now only the blond strands of hair are sticking out from under the material, Marco’s face is still hidden.

“Because  I want to do it” Mario has to prick up his ears to catch it, but… The last time his heart has been beating this fast was the first time Marco bit him.

“You really?” He asks, breath hitching.

Marco sighs a little. “Ever since I know you”

Mario stares for a minute, barely breathing until his mind processes that Marco waits for a sign. He has never seen an alpha like this, afraid to even move.

“So? Are you going to ask me?”

“What?” Marco sits up with wide, hopeful eyes. “Do you want it too?”

Mario smirks and shakes his head. “That’s not how you ask this.”

Marco turns bashful and glances down at the blanket fisted in his hands, then looks up from under his eyelashes.

“Will you marry me?” He whispers and Mario can’t stop the blinding smile spreading across his face.

“Yes, of course, you idiot.”

Marco blinks, then laughs in the next moment, wraps his arms around Mario and kisses the breath out of him. They pull away, panting, and well, maybe Fabian wasn’t that dumb when he warned them to avoid knotting, because without that Mario might have forgotten it in this moment. He settles on stroking Marco’s neck instead and trying to comprehend that they are engaged now, for real.

“Where’re my ring and the bouquet of roses?” He murmurs once the thought occurs to him.

“Home, kinda?”

Mario snickers and they share another kiss before Marco moves to rest his head on Mario’s shoulder. “Did you really buy a ring?”

“In June.”

 _What? That was half a year ago._ “And how long exactly did you want to wait?”

He tries to get Marco to look up, but the alpha hides his face again. He doesn’t seem to be too impressed by his own actions and Mario finds it utterly amusing.

“I’ve planned a bit of a New Year’s surprise, but I screwed it up of course.”

Mario lets out a quiet laugh again. “This was still perfect for me. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Marco replies and his lips are on Mario’s again. “So much.”

 

** 33th week **

They spend Christmas Day at home, just the two of them. Marco brings Mario breakfast in bed that he cooked with some difficulty and to the misfortune of a couple of kitchen appliances. Mario is completely charmed and doesn’t even care what his Christmas present is, he has got the best possible gifts ever with his two pups and this bigger baby who can’t stop surprising him.

On Boxing Day they have a long drive south until the car turns into the neat driveway of a house with snow-covered frontage and ice cones hanging from a certain cherub fountain that Robert must have kicked out from the main garden. Mario can barely breathe from the giant scarf Marco wraps around his neck even though the house is literally fifteen metres from the car. Robert comes out to open the gate for them and helps Marco with the luggage until Mario manages to get inside without slipping or losing his balance. Once the door is closed behind them and the spicy warm smell catches Mario’s nose his already great mood reaches a whole new level of bliss.

“We have a surprise!” He exclaims. If he didn’t weigh a ton, he would be bouncing on his feet right now. Given the circumstances, all he can manage is this embarrassingly excited voice. He can’t even tie his shoelaces on his own anymore.

“Jesus, what are you wearing?” Marco blurts out just before Robert is about to reply to Mario.

“Um... One of my Christmas presents.” The Pole answers shyly, playing with the hem of the bright red apron with a bunch of Bayern crests on it.

“Please tell me you got your revenge.”

Robert shrugs with a smile. “I bought Basti a Polish cookbook.”

Marco lets out a laugh, throws an arm around Robert. “So you basically bought your own presents and gave it to each other. You didn’t disappoint me, my friend.”

The insides of the house are too enticing to resist, so Mario leaves the other two behind and follows the scent of cinnamon straight to the kitchen. Where he finds Bastian in the middle of consuming a chocolate cookie. The blonde freezes as soon as his eyes meet Mario’s and swallows the remaining part in one, at least that’s how it looks like.

“Please don’t tell him.” He whispers and wipes his mouth just before Marco and Robert step into the room.

Basti instantly flashes a smile that wouldn’t fool a toddler and Robert frowns at him suspiciously.

“I just hope you left some for us too.” He mutters as a conclusion and turns to his guests. “So what’s that surprise?”

Mario grins happily and raises his hand with the ring.

“Oh my God, you’re getting married?” Robert gapes “I’m so happy!”

He walks over and examines the jewel with gleaming eyes. “Wow. Have you finally asked him, Marco?”

Marco nods, though he’s blushing as well.

“It didn’t happen the way I planned it, but…” He shrugs and shares a smile with Mario.

“Basti, look at this.” Robert gestures for him to come closer. “Isn’t this great?”

Bastian turns an incredible shade of red and he rubs his neck with an expression that shows he would rather sink into the ground and disappear.

“Uhm, I have to… set the table, be right back.” He rambles eventually and hurries away.

Robert raises his eyebrows, but they are mates, he must have sensed something, because the next moment he waves after Bastian with an easy smile. “Don’t mind him, he has been acting weird lately.”

It takes half an hour for Bastian to ‘set the table’ and he comes back in the exact moment when Robert announces that he’s going to check whether he’s okay.

“So, is the table ready?” Marco asks in a strange tone and Basti looks as confused as Mario feels.

“Right.” Robert drawls and pats his mate’s head. “What about you sit here, finally tell Mario that you’re happy for his engagement and I prepare the dining room?”

“Yeah, sure, sorry.” Basti mumbles and pulls Robert close, presses wet kisses to his cheeks.

“Ugh, Basti, stop.” Robert laughs and pushes him away. “Now please stay still for five minutes, okay?”

He leaves and Bastian collapses into a chair by the kitchen table like a puppet cut from its strings.

“Congrats, buddy.” Marco grins and slaps Basti’s back before the latter buries his face in his hands.

“What happened? I don’t understand.” Mario asks and gives Marco the ‘ _what the fuck is going on here’_ look.

“Oh, nothing you need to worry about, babe.” Marco says and kisses his temple. “Just our friend here is nervous like hell.”

“Would you be so kind to shut the fuck up?”

Marco laughs so loudly that Mario flinches. “Is there anybody who can say no _to that_?”

“I hate you.” Basti mutters, stands up with a sigh and ruffles Mario’s hair, smiling rather forcedly.

 

After a pretty weird dinner Bastian honest to God _volunteers_ to take care of the dishes and what’s even stranger that Marco joins him. Marco, who threw a tantrum the last time he couldn’t deal with the dishwasher and broke a glass in the process. There must be some conspiracy behind these.

“Basti’s out of himself since our winter break started.” Robert says when only the two of them is left in the room.

“He’s distracted, mawkish and sometimes asks me about what I want to do after retirement. A week ago he told me he had been in the grocery store for three freaking hours, then a few days later my sister told me they had lunch together that time. Do you think… do you think I should worry?”

Robert looks lost and Mario really wants to help, because he has finally figured it out, but he can’t tell him that most likely Bastian wants to pop the question too. So he only smiles and lets Robert touch his bump when the babies start moving again.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Year's Eve, football, the night before delivery and the big day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this long delay, I don't really have excuses (and I'm still not satisfied with the last part).
> 
> I hope you will have fun though and if there're any inaccuracies, please just go with the flow. This is pure fiction after all. :)

** 34th week **

New Year’s Eve is supposed to be the time of getting wasted on Mats’ party and watching Kevin as he tries to make out with a plant again. These parties are fun, with all those famous people and so much alcohol that they could fill the pool with it. And Marco _loves_ these parties, with or without his mate, Mario can clearly recall that from the past few years.

So he is oddly touched when Marco declines Mats’ invitation even though he doesn’t need to take care of proposal plans or whatever he wanted to do before messing it up. Despite Marco’s clear decision, a couple of their friends drop by around nine in the evening to goad him into going. They are already tipsy and loud, and they manage to clear away Mario’s good mood. As if this wasn’t enough, Auba is amongst them as well and simply the way he laughs at Marco’s unbelievably awful jokes  makes Mario’s nostrils flare. He bites down the bitter jealousy and forces a smile on his face though during that terrible hour they spend at their place.

His faked expression vanishes right as the front door closes behind the guests and he collapses on one of the kitchen chairs.

“You can go if you want to.” He says when Marco comes back from the entrance. “It’s likely that I can’t even stay awake until midnight.”

Marco snorts and shakes his head with the hint of a smile as he passes Mario and disappears into the larder.

“I want something sweet. Teach me how to make pancakes.” He calls back and there’s a crash in the next second. Apparently he has knocked off a pot from the shelf.  “Do I need baking powder for them?”

Mario snickers and gives up, goes after Marco before he can create more mess.

 

Once the food is ready and Marco has successfully burnt his tongue with it, they move to the couch. Marco has a sugar rush or something because he’s all over Mario, giggling and touching his bellybutton that has popped out a few days ago.

“I kinda forgot my fancy speech.” He breathes into Mario’s neck before mouthing at the skin there.

“What a pity. I bet it would have been a great one.” Mario doesn’t necessarily like biting, but this gentle nipping feels good. If Marco keeps doing it…

“It’s your fault though.”

“Mine?”

Marco scoots even closer and cups Mario’s chin. “Yours. Because I can’t think about anything else, but you.” He bumps their noses together.  “You and our three pups.”

That knocks Mario right out of the headspace he has been in and his eyes narrow suspiciously. “Did you drink when I wasn’t looking?”

Marco laughs, low and intimate, and presses chaste kisses to the corners of Mario’s mouth. “No, I’m just thinking. Wouldn’t it be great to have a little girl after Martin and Oliver?”

“I have a month left of my first pregnancy and you are already thinking about trying for another baby?”

“That part will be fun.” Marco replies, smirking, and pulls one of Mario’s hands into his lap. _Oh wow_. Mario recovers from the surprise soon enough to play along and runs his fingers along the impressive bulge in those pants, quirking an eyebrow questioningly.

“What if I don’t want that fun?”

Marco’s smirk doesn’t falter when Mario’s hand moves under his shirt and starts sliding down on the bare skin, fingertips brushing the soft hairs under the band of his boxers.

“I’m good at persuading.”

With a quick turn of his hand Mario curls his fingers around Marco and that _does_ elicit a gasp however hard Marco tries to keep a straight face.

“Yeah, your charm is irresistible.” Mario chuckles and kisses away the first moan from Marco’s lips.

 

* * *

 

Mario feels as though he’s melting from the heat after coming down from his high. Besides Marco’s shirt they didn’t take off anything, which means Mario’s still wearing long sleeves and sweatpants and fluffy toe socks. It doesn’t help either that his personal heating machine has decided to rest his head in the crook of Mario’s neck and his embracing arms keep Mario from moving.

The lights on the Christmas tree are gleaming golden and red and for once nothing breaks the snug atmosphere in the living room. That’s why Mario’s just slightly surprised when Marco’s breathing turns louder and his weight heavier as he obviously starts dozing off.

“Are you sleeping?”

Marco lets out an undignified noise that is somewhere between disagreement and irritation and Mario can’t suppress his laughter.

“You are, you totally fell asleep and – “

A messy, sleep-ridden kiss cuts Mario off - not that he really minds - and a minute later they hear fireworks going off all around outside. They didn’t even notice it was that close to midnight. Marco pulls back from Mario’s lips only to nuzzle the side of his face and murmur into his ear.

“Happy New Year.” He entwines their fingers on the bump. “I love you.”

 

 

** 35-36th week **

Mario signs his new contract on 14th of January, on a surprisingly cold Thursday morning that has Marco whirling around him like a madman, offering Mario the thickest clothes he has found in their wardrobe. After a brief talk with the club president and his new coach, Thomas, they let him go regarding his state. All in all he has a good impression of his old-new team and he’s looking forward to his comeback, the only black spot on his clean sheet is his relation with the fans. Who will call him Judas this time, Bayern, Dortmund or both?

He keeps thinking about that during his meeting with Fabian in an exclusive coffee shop where nobody bats an eyelash at them. His brother has been talking about his own terribly interesting love life, the chick he dumped the last time and the other one who chose to make out with a beta instead of him. Mario can understand that girl.

“Felix got into a rut a few days ago.” Fabian says abruptly, just in the middle of one of his heroic anecdotes and Mario chokes on his cookie in surprise.

“But I thought…”

“Yeah, me too. Apparently he’s just a late bloomer.”

This adds up to the conclusion that Mario’s family consists of three alpha men, a beta mother who might as well be an alpha too and Mario himself. “Great. I’ve been hoping that at least he’s a beta.”

“Aw, little Mario, we still love you despite this tiny gene default.”

“Thanks Fabian, you’re really helpful.”

“Okay, no kidding now. Everybody loves you even if Mom can only show it with her protective behaviour.” Mario keeps looking at his plate stubbornly until Fabian touches his elbow. “You know this, right?”

“I think so?”

Fabian smiles at him playfully and makes an awful attempt to cheer him up.

“How can we not love our cute and agreeable Golden Boy? If I had a son like you I…”

And here begins Fabian’s usual uplifting lecture about types and acceptance. There’s so much wrong with what he’s saying. First he comes with this wonderkid thing, _just no please_ , it’s enough from the press. Then he calls him cute, which is nice from Marco, irritating from anyone else. Mario hates when Fabian teases him about being the only omega in the family, it feels cruel because he can’t retaliate. If only he was a girl, it would be perfectly normal, moreover, desired. But he, of course, has to be in the _special_ twelve percent.

“There’s one thing I’ve always wanted to ask you.”

Mario snaps out of his thoughts and makes a gesture of encouragement.

“Why did you go to Bayern?”

“You know why.”

He honestly doesn’t understand why his brother asks this, everybody knows in his family about the club’s irrecusable offer and the whole dilemma he has had about making a decision. And he’s not exactly keen on telling them anything else, no matter how Fabian is looking at him now.

“I want to know the real reason, because you can fool the press and fool our parents, but I’m not so impressed about your innocent omega eyes to believe what you told us.”

He doesn’t want to tell him. No, he will keep his mouth shut.

“Mario.”

“I feel ashamed of the whole thing.” _Stupid, stupid obedience._

“Don’t be ridiculous, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“There is. I always get too worried and insecure.”

“It’s in your genes, Mario.”

“That’s the problem, you know? I don’t want my life to be determined by my genes.”

“What do you mean?”

“After my first heat with Marco things got out of my hands. I guess I was too young to handle a bond that strong, especially because it was my… first.” _Only._ Mario shudders and quickly starts talking again before Fabian can comment on his pause.

“Anyway, when he joined the club it became even worse. People started addressing me only with him in the context, I took up on the habit of looking at him before making decisions and though I was mostly happy, I felt too… controlled. I was afraid it would consume me and I would completely lose my independence.  So I wanted to prove a point for myself and the world, that I am my own person and no one can rule me just because of what nature has given us.”

This is still just the surface of what he felt and why he agreed to that transfer, but it wouldn’t do any good to reopen old wounds. Not to mention regret.

“I know it was stupid.”  He adds sheepishly when he sees his confession has taken his brother by surprise.

“No, it wasn’t. I understand.” Fabian squeezes his hand on the table and they fall into silence until Mario hears him taking a deep breath to begin talking.

“Sorry for – “

“I have to go now.” Mario cuts him off and stands up to leave. He doesn’t need apologies and needs even less mentioning of this topic.

“No, wait. Just sit still for a little more, we have to finish this talk.”

“I can’t, I have to clean up the apartment. We have finished anyway.”

“Come on, it can’t be that bad that you have to run away after five minutes.”

“It was at least an hour. And you didn’t see the disaster in the bathroom.” Mario wraps his scarf around his neck after adjusting his coat and leaves a few euros on the table for the waitress.

“Mario, we are not done with this.”

“I’m sorry!” He calls back over his shoulder and seconds later he’s out on the icy January streets of Dortmund.

 

 

** 37th week **

The urge of peeing wakes Mario up, his bladder feels like it’s full to the brim. He doesn’t want to get up, it’s hard enough to find a comfortable sleeping position once, he won’t give away this one for that momentary relief. But _holy shit_ , he really has to go out now. He grudgingly scrambles out of the bed and walks into the bathroom. He gets there in record time and the relief comes soon enough in the form of a river. He didn’t know it was possible to pee that much, but hell with it, things happen. He flushes the toilet, washes his hands and takes a few steps in the hallway when he feels like urinating again. After a silent curse he goes back while the urge gets stronger, almost unbearable, and he can’t lift the lid of the toilet. He’s gonna wet himself. Nothing works, the lid is soldered to the toilet, he can’t go to Marco for help either, because there’s Pep in the doorway. And he has a contract in his hands and says Mario can never play football again because he’s too big. As if on cue, suddenly his belly starts to swell and gets bigger and bigger and… Jesus, he’s going to burst!

Mario wakes up in bed with his heart pounding in his chest and cold sweat beading on his forehead. Everything seems okay, his bump looks normal, there’s no Bayern coach around and Marco is peacefully drooling on his pillow next to him. It was a dream, it was just a nightmare, oh God, Mario feels like shit. And he does have to pee.

He peels off the blanket from his sweat-sticky skin and sits up with a bit of a struggle, shivering in the sudden cold. Some help would be great, especially because he needs a shower too, but Marco has an early training in the morning and no one would appreciate him being edgy due to the lack of sleep. It’s 27th of January, the second half of the season has just started and even though the next match will be against Ingolstadt, it can still be hard for BVB if Marco can’t concentrate on his work because Mario always needs his help. No, he can’t wake him up. Mario sighs instead, carefully stands up on his shaking legs and makes his way to the bathroom on his own.

The shower and the fresh clothes help a lot in turning his heartbeat back to normal, but before he can completely relax, a figure in the darkness makes him jump out of his skin for the second time that night. Luckily it’s not Pep, just Marco, trudging towards him in the hallway with squinting eyes and messy hair. His shorts are low over one of his hips and he’s reeling, arms hanging loosely by his side as if he was some kind of zombie. A very handsome zombie, Mario notes in mind.

“Mario” He starts speaking in a voice close to a whimper. “You okay? Everything alright?”

“Yes, I just had to…”

Marco reaches for his bump clumsily whilst Mario frowns at him. “Babies? It started?”

“Hey, hey, Marco. Are you even awake?” It wouldn’t be the first time of him sleepwalking. “I’m alright. You can go back to sleep.”

Mario grabs Marco’s shoulders and turns him back in the direction of the bedroom, snickers as he mechanically goes back without saying another word. By the time Mario has slid back under the blankets, he’s already snoring again.

 

** 38th week **

It’s not long after ten in the morning when Mario realises the achy sensations in his lower back that he has been feeling since Marco left can’t possibly be Braxton-Hicks contractions. He starts timing them with a lump in his throat and gets really scared when he counts only five minutes between them. He’s in labour, it has started, this is it, this is it.

He calls Marco, but it rings forever and nobody gets the call. It was a stupid thought to insist on staying home alone, despite the fact that it’s the 28th and there’s almost a complete week left till his due date. He contemplates about calling his mother which talks lengths about his desperation, but before he can do it his phone starts buzzing and the stupid selfie that Marco took with Mario’s big bump appears on the screen.

“Please try not to freak out.” He says immediately after picking up the phone. This isn’t the time for greetings and small talk.

“Jesus, babe, I’m already frightened. What happened?”

He takes a deep breath and blurts it out. “Your little bees are making their debut today.”

“ _What?_ Are you in labour?” Marco’s voice sounds tiny and strange through the line and there’s the sound of honking in the background, so he’s probably in the car on his way home.

“Yes. My contractions are five minutes apart.”

“But… those are just regular things, they surely don’t mean anything.” He hears Marco’s heavy breathing and a muffled curse. “This is not the labour, I’m sure. It will stop soon.”

“Marco. As much as I would like to agree, these are defini - ” _Oh God_. Mario can’t finish the sentence from the sudden pain and he groans despite trying not to.

“Fuck” Well, at least the message has finally got to Marco’s brain. “Relax, I’m coming, babe.”

 

While he waits for his mate to arrive, Mario tries to get as comfortable as possible and decides to half lie, half sit on the couch and make an attempt to calm down. Mostly it’s a success and the time flies by easily until he hears the front door open. He stands up to greet Marco, but the exact moment the alpha steps into the living room Mario hears a ‘pop’ and a gush of water floods out between his legs.

“Sunny, your waters broke!”

Mario wants to say something like _‘you’re really observant, honey’_ but Marco is a nervous wreck already, there’s good chance he wouldn’t even understand.

They make it to the hospital in record time and it’s a mostly uneventful ride, although Marco’s gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles and curses every single time they get stopped by a red lamp.

Mario is still relatively okay when he gets to lie on the table in the delivery room, but all hell breaks loose after an hour or so. He stops doing a normal talk with his mate, stops listening to his babbling in general, and soon enough he starts questioning his own existence. When he has the ability to speak, he and Marco carry on pointless conversations that have close to none effect on making things easier.

“Oh Marco _, Jesus…_ w _hat_ did you do to me?”

“You’re doing great, babe.”

“Why am I here, why?”

“To give life to our beautiful children.”

“I can’t do this”

“You can, Sunny. You’re wonderful, it will…”

They all end up with Mario cutting Marco off in a scream of agony until he’s convinced he’s dying. Everything fades into a blur of pain, voices, sweat and pain and more pain until somebody comes into his vision.

“We need to do a Caesarean-section.”

Mario looks at Marco and vigorously shakes his head.

“We were told he wouldn’t need one.” Marco says, but the doctor immediately starts a hasty speech, from which Mario can only understand one sentence.

“The labour isn’t progressing, we need to get them out _now_.”

Yeah. Okay. Do that, do anything, just get his babies out. It hurts so fucking much, Mario wants it to end, to hold his pups in his hands before he dies happily. He will never recover from this, that’s for sure.

“Marco, I’m dying, Marco”

“Shh, you’re not dying, Mario. It’ll be over soon.”

Like he didn’t hear that a hundred times in the last eight – nine? – hours. He was intent on doing everything naturally, he managed without an epidural so far, but God, it’s so exhausting. With a c-section he has no choice though. When did he close his eyes? And where’s Marco?

The medical staff runs his gurney out, then down the hall and Mario counts eight people after opening his eyes, but he’s not sure, the lights are so bright and stark compared to the quiet, dark, safe room.

“I’m scared” He whispers pitifully to the lead doctor. They say something back that’s meant to be comforting but Mario doesn’t hear it at all.

In the operation room they read the consent form for him and somebody holds his shaking hand to sign while he can’t think of anything else than Marco, who wasn’t allowed to stay with him. They couldn’t even say goodbye.

He finally gets that epidural which is just a weird feeling, a wave of warmth running through his lower body, then a tingling sensation in his legs before they go dead. After he’s laid back on the table they strap down his arms and pull some kind of screen up so that he can’t see the surgery, which is quite frightening, but there’s nothing he can do against it.

They ask him whether he feels anything and no, Mario can’t, he only sees that blue screen and doesn’t know at all what’s happening. Are they going to make it? His eyes start watering and panic rises in his throat, doctors are touching and cutting his organs right now and he can’t feel them do it! He gets nauseous when the table shakes as they most likely pull out one of his babies. He’s sure he will faint soon.

Then he hears a noise, the strong, loud sound of a newborn crying and he feels a little more relaxed, the room starts fading away and _no_ , he wants to hear the other and…

 

When he comes back to consciousness nothing seems to be changed, though he doesn’t know how long he has been out of it. Just let his pups be okay, he doesn’t care about anything else now. He’s worried and tries to detect good signs in his surroundings until a woman comes to his head and says both babies are healthy and he will get to see them soon while the doctors stich him up.

He’s not ashamed that he breaks out in tears of relief, happiness and exhaustion, and one of the people there has to wipe his eyes so that he can see the bundle they hold out for him. And inside the bundle there’s his baby, his son, _his._ Somebody gets his arms free and even as weak as he is, Mario can reach out and stroke that little face. It’s overwhelming. They did it!

Mario couldn’t be happier and he doesn’t even mind that much when they whisk away the little boy after a few minutes, because they are alright, his pups are okay. He gets to see and caress the other baby too and if the fatigue didn’t catch up with him, he would ask to hold him, just for a little bit, just to feel his weight. But soon enough they take away the other boy too and after all the happenings of the day Mario drifts off to sleep even before being out of the operation room.

 

* * *

 

He wakes up dizzy and weak, supposedly in the recovery room. He keeps his eyes closed, partly due to exhaustion and partly because of some kind of anxiety about what he would see and what they would tell him if he showed a sign that he’s conscious. Slowly, but steadily his senses come back and he hears silent whispering from somewhere close to his head.

There’s a nurse telling somebody that it’s normal after an exhausting labour and that much blood loss to take a few hours nap and it’s probably Marco’s father talking with Melanie and...

“They are too small.”

His mother’s voice. Then there’s a quiet laugh, one that Mario can recognise anywhere, and he immediately opens his eyes. He glances to his side, at Marco, and sees the definition of emotional chaos: incredulity, happiness and pride are all written on his face.

“They are perfect.” Marco murmurs a reply without looking away from the bundle in his arms.

“Marco?”

Marco raises his head instantly and a wide smile spreads across his lips as soon as he sees that Mario’s awake.

“Hey, look who’s back.” He stands up from the chair next to the bed and gives Mario a kiss on his forehead.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” Mario manages even though his mother’s increasingly excited voice irritates him like hell.

“Sunny darling, here’s our beautiful Oliver. Do you wanna hold him?”  Marco says and shows Mario the cutest chubby-cheeked baby he has ever seen. Mario nods with gleaming eyes, so Marco lets him hold the bundle and for the first time Mario has his son in his arms.

“Where’s Martin?”

Marco points to the other side and there’s his mother, cautiously placing the other baby into Mario’s arm. The people in the room are all trying to talk to him at once, but he shuts them out and concentrates only on the bundles. He doesn’t know where to look, which side, they are both so adorable, too perfect to be his. He must be dreaming. Everything feels surreal and wonderful at the same time… He just can’t believe that these tiny little things are really his and Marco’s sons, Martin and Oliver Reus.

 

* * *

 

After they take the babies back, the nurse advises the visitors to let Mario relax and luckily his family understands this time, even his mom leaves after kissing him on the cheek. When everybody has left and he’s alone with his mate, Marco’s cheerfulness disappears, exhaustion and concern appearing in the lines on his forehead and the redness of his eyes. He lets out a breath and cards his fingers through Mario’s hair, whispering.

“You got me really worried here.”

Mario wants to say he’s sorry, but before he can open his mouth Marco’s lips are on his, sweet and soothing, his hands cradle Mario’s head. He’s gentle, treating Mario like something fragile, and presses their foreheads together with closed eyes after pulling away. Mario knows they are both smiling.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and even more if you left kudos, comments or any kind of feedback. Hopefully you liked this happy-fluffy work as much as I enjoyed writing it! ♥


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